Born in the USSR in 1970, Russian by both nationality and ethnicity, and as such, have my own opinion on everything.
People, just try to think different. Maybe it won't make you happier, but the world will be a much better place to live in, if populated by thinking people.

Saturday, January 03, 2015

They Say - 6 (Jack Matlock)

A pretty interesting and cognitive interview Jack Matlock, ex-USA ambassador to the USSR (1987—1991) gave about 4 months ago to German newspaper Die Tageszeitung.

Wollen Sie bestreiten, dass Russland internationale Regeln verletzt?
Natürlich nicht. Aber es war der Westen, der damit begonnen hat, dieselben internationalen Regeln zu brechen, als die Nato wegen Kosovo Serbien bombardiert hat. Unsere zweite Verletzung der Schlussakte von Helsinki – wonach Grenzen nur veränderbar sind, wenn beide Seiten zustimmen – war, als wir die Unabhängigkeit von Kosovo akzeptiert haben. Putin sagt: Ihr habt den Präzedenzfall geschaffen. Jetzt verletze ich die Regeln. Das müssen wir berücksichtigen, wenn wir über Legalität reden. So zu tun, als ob Russland etwas Einzigartiges täte und Russland zu einem besonderen Ausgestoßenen zu machen, ist unfair.Do you deny that Russia violated international law?
Of course not. But it was the West that began to violate these international rules, when the NATO forces bombed Serbia for Kosovo. Our second violation of the Helsinki Final Act, according to which a state border can be changed only if both parties agree, was when we recognized the independence of Kosovo. Putin said: You have set a precedent. And now I'm breaking the rules. We must take this into account when talking about legality. It is unfair to behave as if Russia has made something unique, and for this reason should become an outcast.

Why do you think all these ex- and former politicians become so overtly wise and sober minded only having been retired?